Glamorgan close to first county championship of the season

GLAMORGAN are poised to claim their first LV County Championship victory of the summer after their pace attack, spearheaded by Adam Shantry, put Essex to the sword on the third day of their duel at Chelmsford.

GLAMORGAN are poised to claim their first LV County Championship victory of the summer after their pace attack, spearheaded by Adam Shantry, put Essex to the sword on the third day of their duel at Chelmsford.

Replying to a total of 515-9 declared, the home side were bowled out for 200 in their first innings and finished on 133-4 in their second, still 182 short of avoiding an innings defeat.

Shantry was chiefly responsible for their troubles first time around as he underlined the value of line and length to claim 5-62 from 15 overs.

He began by finding a way through the defence of Varun Chopra to end an opening stand of 53 with John Maunders and went on to destroy the middle order with three wickets in 15 deliveries at a personal cost of six runs.

He did so by having Matt Walker neatly taken by wicketkeeper Mark Wallace, before getting rid of Mark Pettini and James Foster with successive deliveries.

Wallace again featured in the removal of Pettini while Foster was superbly caught low down in the slips by James Dalrymple.

Shantry followed these successes by ending the resistance of Graham Napier, this time with the help of a fine slip catch by Herschelle Gibbs.

John Harris, the 19-year-old paceman, underlined his promise by providing the main support with 3-37, including top scorer Maunders who was trapped leg before for 35 to leave Essex on 93-6.

David Masters was removed by Garnett Kruger, again Dalrymple showing a safe pair of hands in the slips.